Weight Loss Support - Scary Halloween Challenge

Hoooooray Bobsgal!!!!!! Thy posteth thy LOSS as Hag posteth roster ... soooo, another will follow!!! :cp:

Ah, Hag - the Chastened Crone is reluctant to report that the Demon Scale deceived her and led her to believe that she would finally break below the 230s and into the 220s. However, it was not to be. At least not officially. I don't actually remember the bad news - it was up a pound or so - enough that my mind went numb.

However, in keeping with the official Halloween Challenge credo, I am not considering it valid unless it's still here next Wednesday. So I am staying with last week's weight of 230.2 and assuming that said swelling of a pound and a half approx. will be gone as soon as I take things well in hand again.

How evil the Demon Scale is to show a loss the day before weigh -in and then toss it aside when it would be official.

Anywise (and Hag is wise), since the credo also allows changes to goal weights when warranted, I hereby renounce my past goal of 225 for Halloween and reset same goal at any number under 230. This includes fractional parts so 229.8 would be fine.

I am most happy to see Thanksgiving challenge coming up and will (for now at least) cast my eye on the appealing 225 to reach prior to that festive date.

Humbly submitted, Crone of the Faltering Challenge.

Well, I was about to leave work, started having palpitations and a dizzy spell, then realized why - I haven't posted today!!!! :dizzy:

Anagram - You ignore that evil scale. Let it tell you what it will, you ignore it! It can't take away what you've earned then show something different - no, not allowed! :nono:

Bobsgal - You are doing AWESOME!!!! One more down, one to go!

Dollar - The incredible shrinking dollar, not just a headline in the business section, but a reality here on our little challenge!! 70 pounds???? I don't think the thread could handle that many :dance: 's! Congrats, you must look amazing!

Babette - click click click!!!

Amarantha - Are ya feeling better?? I hate nothing worse than being sick and on the road - unable to get into your own bed and be sick in your own home. (passing virtual soup, tissues and garbage can)

Well, I'm off to Curves and grocery shopping. Having been either sick or not home for the last 3 weeks I have NO food in my house (unless you count Tootsie Pops). Waahoooo!!!! Healthy food in the house!!!!

Terri *snort* :moo:

Well, a funny thing happened when Hago was about to update the roster with Bobsgal's LOSS :cp: ... Hago felt ill again and had to take a long nap. But now we have an update from Anagram Crone ... Anagram, Punkin o' Friday said it best ... no scale can take thy accomplishments from thee ... soon thou will have all thou desireth in the Demon Scale department but thou be wise to revise and it shall be doneth!!!

Halloween Challengers, Hago thanks thee for being here as somehow this thread hath hit the naileth on the head for Haggis ... somehow because of this site, she hath heard THE CLICK and she really feeleth that it is the great personalities that come through on this thread that have helped so much!!!

Well, update cometh. Old Dog beith so cute ... she wants to go for a walk and is smiling at me.

I WILL LOSE A POUND THIS WEEK! I WILL LOSE IT AS I SPEAK! I WILL LOSE IT AS I SLEEP! I WILL LOSE A POUND THIS WEEK!!!

The Scary Halloween Challenge Roster


Amarantha: Starting Weight (revised) 166.5; Now 165.5; Halloween (revised) 164.5

Anagram: Starting Weight 232.8; Now 232.2; Halloween (revised) In 220s

Babette: Starting Weight 213; Halloween 199

Bobsgal: Starting Weight 258; Now 251; Halloween 250

Dollar: Starting Weight 209; Now 201.4; Halloween 198

Eydie: Starting Weight 157; Now 154; Halloween 148

Guinever: Starting Weight 164; Halloween In 150s

Hotsplashes: Starting Weight 180.5; Now 178; Halloween 175

Jadcie: Starting Weight 189; Now 184, Halloween 180

Kmabry: Starting Weight 163; Halloween 160

Punkinseed: Starting Weight (revised) 238.5; Halloween (revised) 237

Scoobysnacks: Starting Weight 193; Now 184, Halloween (revised) 180

SplittinMySeams: Starting Weight 237; Halloween 230


:wizard: :wizard: :wizard:

As darkness intruded across the freshly harvested fields, and the auburn moon raised her head into the inky sky, a vision appeared to me. It intruded upon me, unsummoned, with great power. It whispered of ..... a really great butt, firmer boobs, and a restored sense of youth!!! Not to mention wayward glances from yonder strapping menfolk!!!

Hello kindred spirits! I have been reading your vivid repoire and would love to partake in your offerings to the Gods of the Diet and Fitness. I be a mere traveler on the lengthy road to Health and Mental Fitness. I am asking for shelter from the Evils that hide along the paths, waiting to sabotage hard work and efforts by means of their fiendish ways. They weild weapons such as twinkies, chocolates, salty, greasy, crappy food that drain the willpower from the unwitting warrior.

I strive to be a missionary...bringing good news of better times to come! I hope you will welcome me into your circle (and be tolerant of bad grammar and spelling!)

Boatingmommy :cool:

Welcome boatingmommy,
We open our arms to all wandering souls and provide shelter from the evil foods that lurk in the dark, we do however occasionally forget to close the windows and one or 2 do sneak in. We are a caring and nmurturing bunch of gouls and goblins,and we don't always spell great either.

Must tell you all a little story. I was at work yesterday and this guy came in who has been coming in for years he takes care of the chemicals for clean and the dishwasher in the kitchen. He came to my desk to ask me to let him in to the janitors room so I grabbd my keys and stood up and he says "Holy **** lady how much weight have you lost" Well that made me feel pretty good because he is quite the looker. So we chatted for a bit and he was all compliments and I have known this guy for 11 years now. It was a nice little boost to ones ego, he said he had noticed befor but didn't want to say anything in caser he put his foot in his mouth but after not seeing me all summer because I was off he said he really noticed the difference.

Everyone have a great day. Im on the big count down just today and tomorrow left of my 7 day stretch at work. tehn I get 2 whole days off.

As Dollar saith, thou be welcome in our scary midst and safe now from Goshdarn Grease, Scarific Sugar, and Evil Excess Halloween Candy ... well, relatively safe, as Dollar also saith, sometimes we forget to close the windows, batten down the hatches and keep those bad boys outta here! Hago will put thy name on the roster and if thou desireth to name a Halloween goal, we'll put it on! Ok? Ok!!! :jig:

Dollar: Thy story warmeth Hago's ancient heart! It's great when our weight loss efforts are noticed by either gender but the opposite one adds just a bit more fun to the thing. Thou hast inspired Amarantha to watch how her shape is shifting today (she's on a spaceship to the planet o' shapeshifters even as we speak ... wrote about it in her journal)!

Gots to go guys!!!! Very eager to get to my Halloween goal this week, as it is my last weigh-in before the exciting day itself (when I'll do a quick hop on to be sure I've maintained the regular Sunday weight for this challenge). Then I'm eager to declare my Turkey Time Challenge goal and START TALKING TURKEY on Punkinseed's forthcoming challenge thread. Gobble, gobble, gobble! :jig: NOT!!! NO GOBBLING, AMARANTHA!!! Ok! Moderate eating, moderate eating, moderate eating! THAT'S BETTER! :nono:

I have learned this morning that my body has a wonderful memory... I had to quit my profession as a massage therapist 5 years ago because I'd developed trigger finger, carpal tunnel and tendonitis - even though I'm left handed, the right side was always worse. After quitting I had no pain, then after going to Curves twice in one week, my right elbow woke me up at 3am with that familiar sharp, take your breath away pain. Crap. So, depending on how it feels this afternoon, I may have to take a day off and not do one the machines for awhile when I go back. I'm mad because I thought I was OVER this!!!! :mad: Apparently not...

Amarantha - I hope you're feeling your old Haggy self soon! I'll fedex you some chicken soup and ginger ale if you'd like! Oh, here's a giggle for ya - yesterday the Bend Bulletin printed the same story twice, 3 pages apart... :rolleyes: This is becoming a game of "see how much the local paper can mess up" (aka "find the errors" - a Where's Waldo type of game).

Dollar - That is SO cool!!! What a compliment! Hehehehe, ya gotta love it when you catch someone so off guard like that.

Welcome BoatingMommy!! It's wonderful to have another willing participant in our wicked Halloween challenge! I know the Gods of Diet and Fitness will be most happy to have yet another loyal worshiper.
Stay tuned for the Turkey Time Challenge, to begin after all Hallow's eve next week. The new challenge will be yet another opportunity to beat some fluffy butt, kick some calories to the curb, extricate the fat with exercise (ok, you get the point). Anyway, welcome! :cb:

Till later...
Terri :wizard:

Well, ok, Boatingmommy, I see your goal weight now. I'll put it on the roster!

Ok? Ok!!! :wave:

Well, now I see Punkinseed hath posted even as I posted to Boatingmommy! That's so funny about the Bulletin ... I've seen that happen, though, thankfully not in any publication I've ever edited. Hmmm. They need to declare a prize to the first person who calls in and points that out!!! :jig:

I do feel better but highly scattered today because I can't get through to the leasing company's insurance company re my car. First they hit me when I'm sitting in the dealership, then they drive me nuts ... sigh!!!

Ooopps, negative thought above! Can't have that! Ok! I'm heading out now!! Bye!

Feel better, Punkin! :wave:

The Scary Halloween Challenge Roster


Amarantha: Starting Weight (revised) 166.5; Now 165.5; Halloween (revised) 164.5

Anagram: Starting Weight 232.8; Now 232.2; Halloween (revised) In 220s

Babette: Starting Weight 213; Halloween 199

Boatingmommy: Starting Weight 166, Halloween 150s

Bobsgal: Starting Weight 258; Now 251; Halloween 250

Dollar: Starting Weight 209; Now 201.4; Halloween 198

Eydie: Starting Weight 157; Now 154; Halloween 148

Guinever: Starting Weight 164; Halloween In 150s

Hotsplashes: Starting Weight 180.5; Now 178; Halloween 175

Jadcie: Starting Weight 189; Now 184, Halloween 180

Kmabry: Starting Weight 163; Halloween 160

Punkinseed: Starting Weight (revised) 238.5; Halloween (revised) 237

Scoobysnacks: Starting Weight 193; Now 184, Halloween (revised) 180

SplittinMySeams: Starting Weight 237; Halloween 230


:wizard: :wizard: :wizard:

Poor Splashie has been unable to post lately...the nasty internet people finally decided to take care of the buried cable issue which hath been going on for the last 6 months...but now Splashie has a solid internet connection!!!!!!! YAYYYYYYYY and her digital cable is also working wonderfully...So now she can post after many days of no internet...

Am doing a weigh in on Sunday as I am going away today...will be back on Sunday with full details and a weigh in!

Welcome Boating Mommie!! We welcome all travellers thru the Scary Halloween challenge forest! Good luck on your weight loss!!

Hello to Dollar, Hagometric, Anagram, Scoobysnacks, babbette, Punkin O Friday and all other days!lol, and to any one else I may have missed!!

Hello fellow healthier lifestyle transitioners from the greater mother earths and witches, gobblins, and antidemon scale peoples.

Just checking in to say hello. The battle goes on however im not worried right now. I stepth on the scale to much...silly scooby. Im not sure why i do that. And the bad part is that i step in the morning then at nite. Of course the you weigh differently.
I dont think i feel up most positive today. Im frustrated about lots of things and about nothing. I feel like i should post something because well i like feeling the community however i hate posting when im negative. So im going to turn my negative into positive.

Im going to say you can achieve anything you really want. However it is really hard but thats what makes things wonderful sometimes. Its not much being there but the process of getting there is what makes u feel good. So take the challenge and try your best. And if you dont succeed today you have tomorrow..but keep plunging ahead!

Ok well post another time!

Hello ladies. I have had a frightfully busy week but things are settling down some now. I have lost another three which brings me down to 181 pounds, just a pound away from the goal I set for Halloween. YEAH!!!!!!!! I have about twenty more I want to lose. I would love to have it off by the end of the year but maybe that is a bit soon.
Scooby, So sorry to hear about your mom but they have such wonderful treatment options now for these things. Hope all goes well. You are in my thoughts.
Hotsplashes, Congrats on leaving your job. I would love to do the same but cant due to finances at this time. I would love to have a job I enjoy again.
Dollar, Hang in there and get some rest when you can. Being run down makes it too easy to slip from your eating plan. It also makes you more susceptible to colds, and flu, etc. Take care and keep on plugging.
Last but not least, Amarantha, thanks for the uplifting messages and words of good cheer. I feel safe in stating you are a blessing to us all. Thanks. Have a great day.

Thanks be to Eydie for that blessed phrase in the subject line o' Haggoris' post!!! :bravo: Eydie (know you're out there somewhere), I can't tell thee how many times I've been about to crack and give in to my cravings for sweet cold unhealthy stuff (or even too much healthy but caloric milk) when thy phrase hath lept to my fevered brain and I've grabbed some cold mountain spring water and imbued mine troubled spirit with oceans o' healing elixer and spoken out loud, "Eureka! Mine head is clear, mine spirit renewed, mine body healed. Sheesh, I was just THIRSTY!!!" The reason I be writing this at this moment is that it is happening to me NOW ... fighting off Binge Demons and Car Insurance People Demons (sorry if any of you are such of these, nothing personal) who drageth feet in fixing car dented by THEIR insured (ooops, I digress) ... anyhooo, Hag's Advice o' The Day ... when thou be confused by life, confounded by staying on thy program and in general doubt and confusion, have some water!!! :cp:

"I WILL LOSE A POUND, I THINK, IF I HAVE ENOUGH TO DRINK!!! NO, NOT BEER WILL BRING ME CHEER, NOR WINE REFINE MY WEIGHT LOSS HERE!!! TO LOSE A POUND THIS WEEK, THE DRINK I SEEK ... BE WATER (TRY IT, YU OUGHTA!!)" :jig:

Sorry to ramble. It beith Hag's curse!

Jadcie!!!! :wave:THOU HAST ALMOST REACHED THY HALLOWEEN GOAL WITH THE DEPARTURE O' THREE EVIL :dance: FROM THY VICINITY!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Hag will update roster anon! :cb: :cp: P.S. Thanks for the blessing! :wave:

Scooby: Thou be NOT negative but thanks for sharing your uplifting thoughts and please post whether thou feeleth positive or not. Thy hath much on thy mind and it is to thy credit that thou attendest to thy program and health also at such a time. No one can feel positive all the time (sometimes I think I will never feel positive again, and then something CLICKS and I do for awhile ... it's a process, not an end in itself, methinks ... life goes on and things get better and it's best to stay on our programs through whatever ... because life will go on regardless, methinks). It's ok to feel down and have a SCOOBYSNACK when thou needest it (methinks, which means IMO but sounds better, methinks).

Sheesh, Hago must stop rambling. She hath a good book to read and she hath sworn off work for the night and needeth to see all the news reports also, for the news of the day hath been good ... and bad.

Ending eating day at 1655 calories, 90 minutes of walking, skipped weights in deference to feeling a bit ill still.

Babette/Arabella: :wave: Amarantha hath dropped tai chi ... the instructor kept having everyone do the ward-off thing always to the right ... 90 minutes of doing it to the right and the poor left side of body got no exercise ... that went on for three weeks ... can't be correct? Amarantha was getting lopsided.

Sigh.

Bye.

I'll stop typing now, really.

:wave:

The Scary Halloween Challenge Roster


Amarantha: Starting Weight (revised) 166.5; Now 165.5; Halloween (revised) 164.5

Anagram: Starting Weight 232.8; Now 232.2; Halloween (revised) In 220s

Babette: Starting Weight 213; Halloween 199

Boatingmommy: Starting Weight 166, Halloween 150s

Bobsgal: Starting Weight 258; Now 251; Halloween 250

Dollar: Starting Weight 209; Now 201.4; Halloween 198

Eydie: Starting Weight 157; Now 154; Halloween 148

Guinever: Starting Weight 164; Halloween In 150s

Hotsplashes: Starting Weight 180.5; Now 178; Halloween 175

Jadcie: Starting Weight 189; Now 181, Halloween 180

Kmabry: Starting Weight 163; Halloween 160

Punkinseed: Starting Weight (revised) 238.5; Halloween (revised) 237

Scoobysnacks: Starting Weight 193; Now 184, Halloween (revised) 180

SplittinMySeams: Starting Weight 237; Halloween 230


:wizard: :wizard: :wizard:

I am trying very hard (DO NOT TRY - DO!) to get back on track. Did fairly well yesterday, other than eating some of the halloween candy I bought - some tootsie rolls & molasses toffee, which I bought because it would be less tempting than chocolate :rolleyes: Today I pledge to eat only when hungry, and only at the table when I'm alone. Just that makes SO much difference, once I get into it I feel so empowered! I want to feel GOOD, not bad! Yup, talking self into this. :yes:

Also will try to get in at least 7 fruits/veg and aim for nine. No sugar (other than maybe a couple of glasses of wine tonight).

Amarantha, sorry your tai chi class didn't work out. I don't understand what the instructor was trying to do -- I mean, how are we to protect selves from those monkeys that chose to attack from the left? :dz: I wish you could come do tai chi with me here. Oh wait though, it's getting COLD -- maybe I'll come there instead.

Your water epiphany was interesting. I've found the same thing, that it actually makes me feel almost immediately better, clear headed. I've lately found that a mix of green and mint teas is a lot more salubrious than coffee, too. Makes me feel clear and focused but not jittery.

Anagram, thanks so much for changing your Halloween goal -- I am inspired to do likewise! Good to have a goal, I believe. So, the thing is... when I got on the scale last, the evil :devil: thing showed me up 4 pounds from my last WI (I just realized that the dreaded weight creep is in progress -- How's Weight Creep as a name for an evil arch enemy? -- and up 9 pounds from my lowest WI this year. Oh, it sneaks on in dribs and drabs ... :dance: And my pants are tighter, for sure. I don't want to see the number :eek: so I'm going to set a Halloween goal of anything under 213. Hoping these pounds are non-permanent and will be quickly shifted by a few days of clean eating. DH is away next week which could make this harder or easier -- I chose EASIER! POUNDS BEGONE! :wizard:

A big HELLO to everyone! :wave: I must get to work. Let's make this one count!

This week has been a total blur! Dear Hubby and I are attempting to finish all of the things that we said we would get done all summer. Boating and camping always takes precidence over the drudgery of home improvement and maintenance. Sadly the boat (we have a 24ft pontoon) was winterized and drug off to storage until summer. Me sometimes thinks me needs to be drug off and stored until summer, me being a much cheerier self when the sun shineth longer. (I think I'm talking in some midevil popeye the sailor tongue!!Heehee!)

At any rate, I have done good on the excercise portion of the weight war. I put the tapes in and move the moves until I am sweaty and look like death is upon me. Mind you I turn beet red with even the littlest of exertion, family curse. But the candy in the cupboard is like the telltale heart....I hear it beating...pulsing...calling me to it even when no one else does! Damn that poison that I love so much!!! So...resolve for the day is to keep my little mitts out of it!!!

I guess I am lucky, and don't curse me too much, but I have always been a big-time water drinker. I don't like coffee, and I have even tried the frilly kinds...but no can do. Me and caffeine don't like each other...terrible headaches ya know. I agree though, that a nice cool drink helps to cleanse the palate, clear the head...along with all of the nice things is does for the bod.

Well, I am about to make a sacrifice to the Gods of D & F. There is half a gooey cinnamon roll on the counter that DH left. I must say a blessing and throw it to the trash before I dost devour it!!

Everyone have a great FRIDAY!!! ....and demons be gone!!!

Boatingmommy

Sorry, in my rambling I forgot to tell you that I need to update my profile. Right now I am at 170 (gained 4 back during my few months of hiatus). I hope to lose two pounds in the next 6 days before Halloween. I will get on the turkey challenge after that.
Thanks!

Boating

:cb: FRIDAY!!!!!! :cb:

:queen: Punkin O Friday do declarith it a day of half assed work, lazy accomplishments and willy nilly customer service!

This morning I blew my stack... red headed temper that registered a 9.0 on the richter scale. I'm tired, pissy, and have run out of steam after 3 weeks of working, driving to California twice, meetings, being sick and injured and getting up at 5am anyway. So, I cursed a blue streak at 6:45am after I hung up with a very, very stupid person, almost burst into tears after that, then sat down and said "well, it's Friday". AND IT IS!!!!!! :dance:
Sleeping in tomarrow until the cats make me get up...

Boating mommy - Yea... I remember putting our boat in storage and feeling like "well, that's it". Kinda bummed, but I've always liked winter too. I like your idea of being put in storage - kinda like hibernation!

I'm glad you're feeling better Amarantha! Thank you for the thought about water. I know I'm still not back to drinking all I should and will now pay more attention!

Ta' for now... off to waste as much time as I can before quittin' time!

Terri

It's almost HAAAAALLLLLLOWEEEN!!!! Woo-hoo!!! Hag will weigh 164.5 pounds. She's happy because she will now be losing a pound a week (two would be good, too) and will be looking good by Turkey Time!!!!!

Hotsplashie!!!! Hago did not replieth to thy post yestereve ... meant to as she sympathizeth with thy internet woes and thy joy in a good connection as hers bites bigtime!!! Hago just gets carried away in typing frenzy and misses some things sometimes. Glad thou can post away at thy pleasure now!!!! :wave:

Babette/WN Arabella: Sorry thou hast met with Weight Creep! Hag hath knowledge also o' that arch-rascal, thou he be not so evil as Bob the Blob! Please hop on a broom and come on down and show me how to ward off things from the left!!!! I am sure Creep and Blob always attack from the left so as to make a quick getaway. Thy Halloween Challenge shall be changed forthwith. Do not be worried about ol' evil Creep, just by making goals and challenges for ourselves, we are assured that WC can't take up permanent residence!!!! Turkey Time cometh! CLICK, CLICK, CLICK! :wizard:

Boating: Thy challenge shall be updateth on roster also!!! Sorry about that cinnamon roll on the counter!! DO NOT TOUCH IT, IT IS POISON!!!! :nono: Sorry about thy DB (Dear Boat) entering a hibernation state for winter, too. Come down on a broom with Babette to where I live and thou can boat on forever (in fact, winter be the best time)!!! Popeye be my favorite sailorman!!! Have a great day; sound as though thou hast the demons on the run already!

:queen: Punkin o' Friday!!!!! I do so thank thee for thy declaration and will join thee in a day o' half-assed work! Thank heavens I read this thread before doing too much! :bravo:

Enjoy thy long weekend sleepfest. Sorry thou be had to deal with a rude customer so early in the a.m. and think having a minor earthquake was probably a good idea!!!

To all currently striding confidently on the Challengequest Path: LET'S GO AND DO THIS THING!!!!

Inspiration from Tolkien (who didn't actually write this for weight loss journeyers and punctuated it differently, but ...)"The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began ... and I must follow if I can, pursuing it with weary feet, to where it joins some larger way, where many paths and errands meet, and whither then, I cannot say."

Hag thinketh that we can't really predict the outcome of our weight loss (or other) journey, but we have to keep trying if we think it's worth doing. Hag does, so she's GONNA DO IT!!!!

Here's some bananas: :cb: :cb: :cb: :cb: :cb:

Good Day fair Witchies and Goblinettes of the Scary Halloween Challenge...I see we hath found a fair travelling companion in Boatingmommie who hath surely taken quickly to our quaint way of speakingeth here! I dare say I'd prefer to compare myself to that infamous Pirate of Mel Brooks's imagination....Yellow Beard...Aaaarrrrrghhhh Me maties! We shall plunder the villagers and pillage the village!! "Captain...I think that's Plunder the village and Pillage the villagers.." Yellowbeard"You pillage what you want and I pillage what I want!!!" So therefore I say unto my fellow Scary Halloween Challengers!! "Onto the Village of where Weight Creep and Bob the Blob are residing and Vanquish them and plunder those evil pounds away!!!"

Hotsplashes brandishes her carrotstick in the air and plunges onward!!!

And final good news!! I did the WI in today fearing that I had gained back 5lbs...and have lost !!! YAYYY I am now down to 177!!!!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Hotsplashes, thou beeth an inspiration. A loss when expecting a gain is indeed better than the reverse which Demon Scale dealt me this week. DS is indeed tricky as today he again toyed with my mind by showing the tempting number he had shown me the day before weigh in thus making me feel good only so he can dash me down from the heights again.

But to no avail. I will persist and when his wicked Wednesday self shows again I shall defeat him with my diet goodness.

Hag, I hope you are entering the realm of wellness and that ye shall stay there indefinitely. A day such as you and Punkin describe is always good for the mental health.

I however am off to a good start on climbing the high mountain of piled up chores. The real Demon of evil no longer threatens my family and that has brought a liteness to my heart.

From long practice, I will not overdo on that mountain climb. I shall enter into my laziness when dh gets back from his luncheon and errand run. Since he has left the world of drudgery, we do a lot of that laziness thing but it is a treasure I think he has truly won and I, as his consort, share in it though I did not labor long for it.

As of now, a light rain shrouds our kingdom. I do want to get in a walk and am currently deciding if this is a mellow enough downpour to make it a perfect musing walk or if it's the perfect time to retest my ski machine and see if it still works after eon of idleness.

Well, maybe after lunch..........

Why don't I post more often here?! Where does the time go---I've missed you guys. Been feeling rather introverted lately but hopefully that'll change soon. Maybe it's the season too....

Still journaling a lot and that's good and I'm feeling calmer and at the same time [dare I say?] more powerful. I'm feeling the need to take on the aspect of a truly wild and wise witchy woman who knows her own mind and can be a force to be reckoned with. Can I pull that off? We'll see... I feel like I've been in 'Princess' mode for just a touch too long now! [Wow, I really hope that you all know what I'm talking about!!!]

Have gotten back into Tae Bo too---nothing can make you feel like an amazon warrior like a little kickboxing!:lol:

Well, so much for a lazy "I ain't gonna work and you can't make me" day. I had emergency after emergency. When someone calls and says there's gas pouring out from under their vehicle I guess you have to call them back and take care of the problem don't you? :dz:

It's good to see you Eydie!

You've all been such an inspiration - I just had to tell you that. I too feel like I'm waiting with an ear to the door for that elusive "click" and I'm hoping now that I'm exercising regularly, it'll come... You all inspire and make me want to do this even more :cb:

Have an awesome weekend everyone! I'm off to Curves, rent movies and get a long needed haircut!

Terri :lucky:

Good evening all, it has been a busy day, working, and now I have to drive my darling daughter off to a dance 45 mins away. At least I don't need to pick her up until the morning,only to bring her home for a hair appointment and then return her to the same town to her boyfriend's so they can attending a wedding. That wasn't so bad until I found out I need to work in the morning as well, that will make 8 days in a row. Im hoping in the morning DH will feel wellenough to go for her he has been off all week with a bad back but is starting to feel better. I was looking forward to having 2 days off but it will now be just one but that is ok because I really like my job.
So carrot swords held high let us go and pilage those demon scales and deflate those blubber blobs. We will be thin, we will be healthy and ABOVE ALL WE SHALL !!!!!!!!

I have a challenge for all you goblins. My challenge is not to allow one piece of Halloween candy to enter my mouth. I will by baskin robbins candies for me and have only those. they are 3 for 1 pt so I will have only those.

OK, GOBLIN DOLLAR, THOU BE ON!!!! NO HALLOWEEN CANDY ... IN FACT, NO CANDY AT ALL ... SHALL CROSS HAGO'S LIPS THIS SEASON!!!! THIS IS A SOLEMN VOW HAG IS MAKING TO THEE, DOLLAR AND SHE WILL REPORT HER SUCCESS HERE EACH DAY UNTIL THE TURKEY TIME CHALLENGE GOES UP ... WOULDS'T THOU HELP HAGO BY REPORTING THY CANDY SUCCESS IN EACH POST ALSO? please! need reinforcement if i'm gonna do it!!! Below is the way I will report it to you, Dollar. Thanks for thinking of it!

:chockiss: NO, DAY 1

Found the meaning of life in (wait for it) OPHRAH tonight. Normally she be not Hag's favorite, but after sleeping all afternoon and evening with TV on, Hag wakes up and sees that Ophrah is on with Bob Greene and Ophrah is talking about how she has yet again made the connection and in all honesty, she has. She looks great again and is talking about "transformation" and since Amarantha is doing a Transformation Challenge on her journal (which she's about to kill off soon, not the challenge but the journal), her ears perked. Anyhow, O is talking about how she's weight training again but the the thing that really resonated is how O and Greene were talking about that moment when one is supremely worrying about breaking the program and getting ready to go for the break being an indication that this is the time a deep issue is begging to be solved and that this is a "holy moment" where we can address the issue and also make that choice between throwing all the weight work away or staying pat. Words to that effect. Helped Hag avoid the Binge Demons. :strong:

HOTSPLASHIE: :bravo: THOU HAST SENT ANOTHER :dance: OFF IN A SHIP TO THE ISLAND O' RETIRED :dance:s!!!!! SHIVER ME TIMBERS, HAGO WILL DO AN UPDATE SOONEST!!!

Isn't there a hag in Popeye stories? Can't remember?

Eydie: Hago thinketh thou should also post more often as she enjoyeth "seeing" thee. Howsomever, she knoweth how sometimes we need to get into that introverted place and that's good, too!!!! Thou should do what's right for thy program and peace and that'll be just the right posting pace. :wave:

Anagram!!! Hope thy chores went well and ended soon and thou enjoyed their end with dh soonest!!!! Yahoooo for relaxation. We need it!!!! Kills off the cortisol that maketh for weight gain and other bad health thingies.

:queen: Punkin o' Friday: Sorry thy day did not include the opportunity for half-****d work. Howsomever, in the main, Hag thinketh thou hast done the right thing in dealing with that gas leaking thing! On to Saturday!!!

Sorry for the long post! Computer is beginning to protest about typing on the long thread, but as we're so close to THE ALL HALLOW'S EVE, it's interesting to see how many pages we can grow to with our amazing dedication and participation!!!! :cb: :cb: :yikes:

Bye!

The Scary Halloween Challenge Roster


Amarantha: Starting Weight (revised) 166.5; Now 165.5; Halloween (revised) 164.5

Anagram: Starting Weight 232.8; Now 232.2; Halloween (revised) In 220s

Babette: Starting Weight 213; Halloween 199

Boatingmommy: Starting Weight 166, Halloween 150s

Bobsgal: Starting Weight 258; Now 251; Halloween 250

Dollar: Starting Weight 209; Now 201.4; Halloween 198

Eydie: Starting Weight 157; Now 154; Halloween 148

Guinever: Starting Weight 164; Halloween In 150s

Hotsplashes: Starting Weight 180.5; Now 177; Halloween 175

Jadcie: Starting Weight 189; Now 181, Halloween 180

Kmabry: Starting Weight 163; Halloween 160

Punkinseed: Starting Weight (revised) 238.5; Halloween (revised) 237

Scoobysnacks: Starting Weight 193; Now 184, Halloween (revised) 180

SplittinMySeams: Starting Weight 237; Halloween 230


:wizard: :wizard: :wizard:

Ok Hag it is on I don't know how to get those fancy little candies up there so I will do this
@@ No day 1
I will post everyday before bed, you can do it I know you can, I will revise mine I will not even have the Baskin Robbins kind of candies I will have none.

I just wanted to say, Amarantha, that I love the the idea of that slip of time being a "holy moment"---I think that'll help me a lot!

And yes there was a hag in the old Popeye cartoons--the Sea Hag! Remember now?:)

YAHOOOOO! The click is definitely in. Thank you thank you thank you for sending the clicks my way - I actually managed to receive them. Yesterday was a major challenge and I passed with flying colors. Another stupid fight with DH (for gorey details see journal), but I absolutely didn't cave. Also - we had planned to have burgers, fries and salad for dinner. Through the day I occasionally thought..."Well, I'll just have that and then start in on the diet tomorrow." But every time I thought that I had a disappointed feeling, like I was letting myself down. :( And in the end, I had a burger on spelt toast with salad and eschewed the fries (as opposed to chewing the fries). It was good, I stuck to my diet, and am on to DAY 2. :cb: :cp:

Dollar, you are ON! Not a single solitary Halloween candy (or any other kind) will be allowed past these lips :tape: Gotta love duct tape. And that goes for those teeny bags of chips and cheezies too :rolleyes:

Amarantha, congrats on finding M of L. I sure wish I'd seen that episode! :lol:

I agree with you about Oprah. I just find her a bit too reflexively enthusiastic, although I think she's a very admirable person in a lot of ways and has done great things. I'll have to see if that show is being recast any time soon.

O Splashie One, LOL! Thanks for the Yellowbeard quote - very inspirational. Hmmmm..... what to pillage today? All I can promise is - it won't be food related. :lol:

Boatingmommy, welcome to our forest! Shall I swoop down en route to the Empire of Amarantha and collect you? I love fall, but I miss being able to spend time comfortably outside. I vow this winter to actually skate and so on though.

Punkin O' Friday, how harsh that your job didn't cooperate with you and let you do the half-assed work that you'd planned. Guess you're right, when people have gas leaking under their cars it behooves one to deal with it. However, how very inconvenient of them to do it on a FRIDAY! Hope your weekend makes up for it!

Eydie, this seems like a perfect time for journaling, reflecting and connecting with your self, getting ready for the next part of your life. Sometimes it's necessary to hold oneself back from things to get perspective. I intend to start doing some journaling. DH is going to be on a business trip for a week - week and a half, and I'm going to take it as an opportunity to pay attention to ME! Wish it wasn't the last darned week of the month, which definitely cramps my style, but I will promise myself to use time wisely and not waste it (which i define as doing things that are neither profitable nor enjoyable - a category of endeavor that devote a surprising amount of time to if not careful)

Anagram, did you get in your gentle musing walk in the misty rain, or was it a torrential downpour? Lately I feel such an urge to be outside rather than at the gym, even tho I know the crosstrainer is a fabulous weight loss tool . Hmmm... I think that I may pledge to do 15 mins on said machine every day. I only live a 12 min walk away from the gym and if I added that to my routine, t'would surely make a difference...

Have a fantastic weekend, Everyone! Let's do this thing!

POUNDS BEGONE! :wizard:

[I]Wooooo-hoooooo!!! Congratulations to Babette/Arabella who hath heard THE CLICK!!!! Babette, that was a really good save ("holy moment") when thou didn't go for the fries and DIDN'T give in to the "I'll start tomorrow" Diet Wrecking Demon! Good for you. Glad you are joining in with Dollar's candy (NOT) challenge, too. Thy post remindeth me also that I spelled Oprah wrong last night ... hope she doesn't wanna sue!!! Yes, she IS quite the reflexive enthusiast. I do admire her putting herself on the line in the weight struggle, but can't get into a person who puts her own picture on EVERY issue of her own magazine. I know I'm an egoist, but she's got me beat. But then again, she's a rich successful ex-journalist and I'm a poverty stricken hack for small newspapers, so she probably knows what she's doing. (Again, I apologize to any and all Oprah fans and mean no offense).

Eydie: Yes, now that you mention it, I DO rember the Sea Hag. She was wonderful! :cb: I may be a turkey hag in the next challenge, dunno. I love the "holy moment" image, too. It really does remind me that I need to stop and think about what I'm doing at every stressful moment and exactly why am I eating some of the things that I am eating and if what I am eating is helping me or hurting me AND that I have issues that go far beyond weight BUT that weight management is a good starting place for a rational life. Wow! That's a lot to fit in a moment, but that's how fast one can make the choice as to how one wants to live and that's how fast it can all go wrong if the choice is wrong.

Dollar: I LOVE THIS CANDY MINI CHALLENGE!!! That is cool you've foresworn even your backup Baskin Robbins candy for the duration. This is Day 2 for me and I would have had a peanut butter cup in Walmart this a.m. if I hadn't pledged to take the challenge. BTW, thou can get the chocolate kiss by clicking "get more" off the smilie legend or just type in the code ... Hag doesn't remember it at the moment and anyhow if she typed it, it would show a chocolate kiss!!! I like your designation, though!!!

Well, I have to finish a story and wish also to read some journals ... still deciding on whether to keep mine up. I spend way too much time online and leaving my work until the last minute. Dunno.

:chockiss: NO, Day 2



Ok

The sun has come out in this part of the forest and it is a mildish day. I did do my musing walk in the misty rain yesterday and it was quite rewarding. I was so pleased with myself.

I hardly watch Oprah anymore either. But in clicking through, I thought she looked good again. I think part of my one time fascination was the nutritional/diet stuff she had on a lot. Last year I tuned in sometimes for Dr. Phil but this year I hardly remember to watch him on his own show.

This candy challenge is a toughie for me = I had eaten no candy for at least two months and had given me permission to have 3 Brach's pumpkins a day (about 65 calories total) for this week as a way to forestall any feelings of being totally deprived.

HOWEVER.......... drum roll........... in the interest of SOLIDARITY, I Anagram Crone do join my Halloween Challenge Cronies in foreswearing all candy until at least after Halloween. Boo hoo, cringe, hiss and all that but I'm sure I'll feel really good about doing it.

OK, now Hag, while I love reading your posts it's time to get a little work done before dreaded deadlines loom. I will lend you my effective "bribery" plan. Work half an hour or so, post, work half an hour, post. If you must, you can even work for an hour before posting.

Punkin, hope you're just letting all hang loose this weekend. Nice to go but nice to come home.

Nice to see you all joining in this candy or no candy challenge. We can do it!!!!!

@@ NO DAY 2

No worries, Anagram, Hago finished work early today and has none to do tomorrow!!! :cp: I like thy bribery system, though! :cb:

It be noble of thee to foreswear thy daily Brach's pumpkins for the sake o' supporting Dollar's Candy NOT Campaign!!!!! :chockiss: :m: :nono: Don't think we have a smilie for candy pumpkins ... in fact Hago hath never seen this exotic delicacy, and a good thing, too!!! While thou beist deprived o' the candy, thou be shoring up thy scary comrades' resolve AND depriving those :dance:s of a chance to nourish themselves and multiply.

Yep, if Oprah only had diet shows, I'd never miss her. Dr. P. just makes me tired. :jig:

Dollar, thanks again! I'm about to :chockiss: NOT, Day 3!

I dislike Saturday! Sigh! Bye!

"I will lose a pound this week! I will lose it as I speak! I will lose it as I sleep! I will lose a pound this week!"

We'll see tomorrow!

It kind of came to Amarantha's attention that her use of fantasy as a motivator confuseth or bothereth some people. Perhaps she excessively posts, also. Sorry (not)! :cb: Anyhow, re the Scary Halloween Challenge, Hag is making her cut-off point here so she won't drive herself nuts by hopping on again on Thursday. She losteth a half pound, and essentially is a pound over where she started, but feeleth she is making great strides in her Transformation Challenge anyhow and is NOT displeased with the Halloween result and WILL CONTINUE TO POST HERE (awaiting the Turkey Time Challenge). Her goal is still a pound a week and she feeleth she will achieve that with her program, if she but sticketh with it!!!! The journal hath been killed so if thou future turkeyettes don't mind, Amarantha will just post her Transformation Challenge stats in this handy thread!!!!! :jig: She will update the Halloween roster, calling her Halloween weight as of this a.m. but is NOT going away!

DOLLAR: :chockiss: NOT, Day 3!!!!


Stats: Alien Shapeshifter Amarantha



Starting Weight of Transformation Challenge: 166.5
Current Weight: 165
Transformation Challenge Pounds Lost: 1.5 :cp:
Highest Weight Ever Recorded: 247
Lowest Weight in Adulthood: 101 (Too Low)
Lowest Weight Since Major Weight Loss Intiative Approx. 5 Years Ago: 142
Pounds Gained Back: 24.5 :nono:
Scary Halloween Challenge Goal (revised): 164.5, Result: 165
Ultimate Goal: 135


Amarantha's Motto: "I WILL LOSE A POUND THIS WEEK! I WILL LOSE IT WHEN I SLEEP; I WILL LOSE IT WHEN I SPEAK! I WILL LOSE A POUND THIS WEEK!!!

You bet!

The Scary Halloween Challenge Roster


Amarantha: Starting Weight (revised) 166.5; Now 165.5; Halloween (revised) 164.5; Result 165

Anagram: Starting Weight 232.8; Now 232.2; Halloween (revised) In 220s

Babette: Starting Weight 213; Halloween 199

Boatingmommy: Starting Weight 166, Halloween 150s

Bobsgal: Starting Weight 258; Now 251; Halloween 250

Dollar: Starting Weight 209; Now 201.4; Halloween 198

Eydie: Starting Weight 157; Now 154; Halloween 148

Guinever: Starting Weight 164; Halloween In 150s

Hotsplashes: Starting Weight 180.5; Now 177; Halloween 175

Jadcie: Starting Weight 189; Now 181, Halloween 180

Kmabry: Starting Weight 163; Halloween 160

Punkinseed: Starting Weight (revised) 238.5; Halloween (revised) 237

Scoobysnacks: Starting Weight 193; Now 184, Halloween (revised) 180

SplittinMySeams: Starting Weight 237; Halloween 230


:wizard: :wizard: :wizard:

I am into day 3 with no candy and the halloween treats are still sitting in their sealed box. As much as the kids want me to open them I have said definitely not until just before the trick or treaters come around. Since I have already done my Turkey challenge I will also join in yours, I will now start contemplating what goal to set for then. Of course then there will be the sleigh bell challenge.
One challenge after the next should keep us all on track. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I have been raking leaves very heavy leaves so that should be good for some excercise points.

Well, yesterday was Day 1 of the No Candy Challenge for me and I had already had one candy pumpkin by sign on time.

So it's 1 candy pumpkin = day 1
No Candy - day 2 (I know the day's not over)

Amarantha - I be proud that your work was all done early - reign on. As to understanding/not the tone of this thread - be it not the choice then of the non-understanding/disliking to choose another thread? I have alighted on many where I had not a clue (and here I note specifically the cow/moo oriented missives) and I then hastily left. I'm sure had I spent the time, I'd have caught on and suspect I might even have been warmly welcomed there as I have been everywhere else I've posted. However, my fancy was not struck so I hied me elsewhere. This has been true in more than one instance where I lurked a bit and then left. I do not always even make an effort to connect in fantasy/Olde English but do so a mite when it strikes my fancy. That does not mean that ye and others should not do so as it strikes you. It is merely an indication of like-mindedness evidenced in this case by choice of words. Ye scare me not, Hag! Our carrot swords are not meant to scare away people - merely fluffy little poundlets.

Not a jot, nor yet an tittle of candy, Halloween-related or otherwise hath crossed the fair lips of this woodland nymph (hmm... that costume might be a little too breezy for the holiday...). Saturday was a total success. Feel SO much better on the low glycemic diet. Now, of course, one hopeth that it shall lead to an loss of the royal avoirdupois!

Had a humongous brunch today. Very good, and more than I would ordinarily have, but still adhering to the LG index criteria. T'was a sort of fairwell extra-special Sunday brunch with DH before he leaves on business trip. He's going to Nunuvut, on Baffin Island, and may have a trip to within 30k of the Arctic Circle.

In any event, this is Day 3, and I AM DOING THIS!!!! :cb:

POUNDS BEGONE!!!!! :wizard:

I, Splashie of the weak will, am unable to join the No Candy challenge as Halloween is a National Holiday for me! So I must sneak a Tootsie Roll a day. I think Halloween should be a paid national holiday...then again I think Valentine's day should be too!lol I too will join the American Turkey Day challenge! Let me know when it starts!!!

Dollar!!! Thou be doing great with thy :chockiss: NOT Challenge!!!! Rock on!!! (NOT ROCK CANDY, THOUGH, JUST ROCK!)

Anagram! :wave: Thanks for thy fearlessness in the face o' the Fearsome Hagomatic!!! Might Hago add that thy Medievel Fantastical Olde English/Popeye Lingoistics be world-class! :cp: Also laudable be thy reduction to a mere ONE candy pumpkin in two days ... said pumpkin being grandmothered in before thy official joinage o' Dollar's :chockiss: NOT Challenge!!!! :bravo: (Amarantha missed the cow/moo thread ... fascinating concept).

Babette/Arabella: Low gylcemic be a good way to go!!! Congratulations on thy successful streak o' this eating style. Sorry your DH is off to the frozen north with the neat name ... course to Amarantha in Arizona, thou already liveth in the frozen north (joking only, I have been to Canada and it is beautiful and I would like to live where you do)!

Hotsplashie!! Thou be NOT weak because thou desireth NOT to join :chockiss: NOT!!! It's important to have thy treat if it means a lot to thee! A mere Tootsie be no great thing ... it's the HUNDREDS o' Tootsie's Hag would eat if they were here that'd be a problem. :jig:

Whenever Punkin o' Friday posteth the (U.S.) Turkey Time Challenge, Hago be ready also to declare her gobble-gobble-gobble goal!!! Cockadoodle-doo! (or is that a rooster?) :jig:

Bye, all!

:chockiss: NOT, Day 3

Now, if only it weren't the week starting with the last four days of the month....:( Well, in any case, this is something I've often wished for when I had to work like a maniac to get stuff done by EOM, that I didn't have to tend to high-maintenace DH simultaneously. So, this month I don't. Even though I'm essentially trying to get a month's worth of work done in four days, I'm pretty sure to get it done. And, furthermore, I am NOT going to ease that tension with any binging :nono: I KNOW - having given it more than a fair shot, many many times :rolleyes: - that it just does not work in any way shape or form. I want to enjoy life! If I need a break, I will take one, but it won't be to slump on the couch stuffing my face. :no:

I've adhered to the low GI criteria, and of course, had no candy :cb: :cp:

Let's make this a good one!

POUNDS BEGONE! :wizard:

Wooooooo-hooooo, Scary Witchiepoos, Goblinettes, Goalghoulies!!!! "It is morning, Senlin says ..." ~ (author of that poem is unknown to Hagamarantha, but it contains some of her favorite lines, such as: "... in the middle of a whistling void, I tie my tie ..."

We know not where we are going in the long term, Scary Folkettes, but in the short term, we KNOW we will reach FOR our Halloween Goals, be they abstract or concrete ... not sure what that means.

Babette/Arabella!!! Hag noticed thy Halloween goal be different than she has on roster, so she will change!!! Then she also runneth off to work, but it be on broomstick to mountains today, home by afternoon, hopefully. Re the infamous Deadline Binge in Lieu o' Deadline Rest Demon, he be around here a lot, too! Best keep a good book near couch and read 20 pages everytime thou hears DBILODRD! Only thing that'll keep him away.

:chockiss: NOT, Day 4!!!! :jig:


"A POUND THIS WEEK IS WHAT I'LL LOSE AND I CAN LOSE IT IF I CHOOSE!!!!

:cb: :cb: :cb: :cb: :cb:

The Scary Halloween Challenge Roster


Amarantha: Starting Weight (revised) 166.5; Now 165.5; Halloween (revised) 164.5; Result 165

Anagram: Starting Weight 232.8; Now 232.2; Halloween (revised) In 220s

Babette: Starting Weight 213; Halloween (revised) 212

Boatingmommy: Starting Weight 166, Halloween 150s

Bobsgal: Starting Weight 258; Now 251; Halloween 250

Dollar: Starting Weight 209; Now 201.4; Halloween 198

Eydie: Starting Weight 157; Now 154; Halloween 148

Guinever: Starting Weight 164; Halloween In 150s

Hotsplashes: Starting Weight 180.5; Now 177; Halloween 175

Jadcie: Starting Weight 189; Now 181, Halloween 180

Kmabry: Starting Weight 163; Halloween 160

Punkinseed: Starting Weight (revised) 238.5; Halloween (revised) 237

Scoobysnacks: Starting Weight 193; Now 184, Halloween (revised) 180

SplittinMySeams: Starting Weight 237; Halloween 230


:wizard: :wizard: :wizard:

Hail, Happy Hag and Hagolets of the Halloween Challenge -

Crone has started her Halloween Week Monday with her traditional Cappucino Slimfast. It has become symbolic and is meant as repentance for weekend offenses. However, it has become also a treat in this New World I occupy. Perhaps I need to find a new penance such as housework of the caloric reduction kind. (Hehe.)

Am finding out slowly that there are things I'm probably not supposed to eat with this thyroid thing. Like (believe it or not) raw broccoli and cauliflower. Requires more researching. Sounds like dh's kidney diet in that things I always thought were good are now bad-sounds as mixed up as many other things in this world. No wonder I retreat to the fantasy forest.

Monday, Monday... icky ol' Monday!

Soon I will be able to check in over the weekend :cb: as my darling friend is kidnapping my box and installing some speedier guts into my aging computer at home.

I cheated and weighed on Saturday - I shouldn't have since I noticed I'd made 237!!!!! Why is that a bad thing you ask?? Well, because I saw I'd made it, I felt that it was ok to thereafter eat like a complete :ink: all weekend. So now I'm more than likely doing extra work to get BACK to where I was :rolleyes:. One of these days I'll learn :crossed:

The weekend was fine. Had to go back to town for my haircut as I showed up on Friday only to be told I had to come back Saturday because my hairdresser's aunt had fallen and broken her hip. I totally understand - believe me! It just messed up my "pj's for 48 hours straight" plan. Her aunt is fine btw and should be up n' around already!

Amarantha - I for one am not in the least put off by thy medieval way of speach. I do reveleth since life is by far too serious anyway...

Babette - So how many carbs a day do you shoot for doing low glycemic? I looked at low carb and decided there was no WAY I was giving up my bread. But I do want and need to cut back...

Dollar - I too will join you and the others in your no candy challenge. I've polished off enough to last me (I hope anyway) and do now decree there shall be NO MORE!!!!! :tape:

Hugs and Halloweeny smooches to you all!!!!!

Terri

Hey :queen: Punkin!

Mmmm... yup, I fully believe that t'is those of us who do most passionately desireth the carbs that suffer the most weight gain from them, due to ye olde insulin response. Crap!

Low GI is not as stringent as the low carb diets. First is to pretty much swear off white bread and limit others and most pure carbs. Try to get plenty of fiber. Here's a link to some more info: www.glucoserevolution.com/ There's supposed to be a low GI diet section at 3FC, but maybe it's still being developed.

I feel SO much better eating this way - clear-headed, less hungry, better mood, more energetic. It's great! Oh, and the carb cravings actually GO AWAY! What more could one desire? :cb: :cp:

POUNDS BEGONE! :wizard:

I thought this was powerful an appropriate for us:

We are the hero of our own story. ~Mary McCarthy

In every one of us, there lies a sleeping beauty waiting to be awakened through love. Because she has slumbered for so long, she must be awakened very gently. But instead of waiting for Prince Charming to storm the palace gates, you must summon the magic powers of your authentic self to break any cruel enchantment that has left you unaware of your own glory.

Thanks Babette for the site (it's loading now).

I'd decided that it wasn't that I wanted to cut out carbs, but decrease the quantity I ate and improve the quality. When I went grocery shopping last week I paid attention and was surprised to find the "cheap bread" had less carbs (13g per slice) and more fiber (3-4g) than the "good stuff"! So, little things like an extra low starch veggie or bigger salad instead of mashed potatoes I think is going to be a good starting point for me.
It was quite an eye opener to read about refined carbs being just one step away from simple sugar - no wonder I can't put the junk food down!!!

Thanks again!!!

Terri

I wish that I'd taken the challenge not to have any Halloween junk, but better late than never so I'm taking it now. Haven't done any real damage---just knowing it's there closeby within reach is so tempting. Anyway, I'm moving it down to the cold, icky basement---it won't be nearly as tempting knowing I have to brave the dungeon to get it!

Taking care of a sick husband and trying not to get close enough to let him breathe on me--no way do I want the crud, so I'll just admire him from afar!

About the low-glycemic index stuff, that works well for me too. The more whole foods the better! :)
Babette, I love the quote you shared! Thank you!!!!

Day 3 for me - NO CANDY.

Day 4 no candy. Tomorrow is weigh in day.

HALLOWEEN!!!!:yikes:

YAY!!!! PUNKINSEED MADE HER HALLOWEEN GOAL SATURDAY!!! :cp: Punkin, it be natural to binge after seeing that you'd "made it" but Hago predicteth thou wilt be fine!!! She will put this on the roster as "result" but if thou desireth it to come off until Halloween let Hago know!!!!

Having a mini binge for some reason. Stressful day. Hag be going to an all-day seminar Saturday on managing anxiety, so hopefully, she'll stop reacting to things by bingeing soon!

Though Hago's calories be high (you don't wanna know), she's happy to announce :chockiss: NOT, Day 4, is going well!

Babette: Thanks for the Mary McCarthy quote. I do think it's appropriate for this gathering.

Actually I was looking at a book in the bookstore today about being one's "authentic" self and walked around for some time thinking about what my authentic self is like ... peopled as my brain is with so many wacky characters listening to so many old tapes from various wellsprings of negativity. A good exercise, methinks, would be to list all the sources of positivity that are in our lives. My list would include Old Dog, Silly Cat, my publisher, my intelligence and semi-regular rationality, my relative freedom from major disease, my creativity and just me in general plus (of course) the minds that gather in this thread that have the ability to focuseth on our common desire to manage weight in a rational manner.

Anagram, Dollar!!!! WTG on the :chockiss: NOT front!!!! Have a banana: :cb: :cb:

Eydie: Glad to see you're on Dollar's :chockiss: NOT team now also!!! Better lateth than never!!!! Great idea to banish the horrid, awful sugary stuff to the dungeon where it belongs!!! Sorry thy dh be ill!!!

Punkin! Increasing fiber beith a major step indeed on the nutrition front, IHO (in Hag's opinion)!!! Certain fibers, as thou knoweth, be extremely useful in regulating blood sugar and helpful to diabetics. It certainly can't hurt even those with normal blood sugar.

I don't want to cut out carbs either, which IN MY OPINION, is a bad idea as carbs are the main fuel our bodies need for energy, thinking, mood, etc, but to improve the quality of the carbs I eat AND to increase protein just a bit more than the nutritionist recommends AND to increase heart-healthy, good quality fats, while cutting overall calories just a bit. Also, one way I lower the GI of a meal is to simply eat a bit of protein with any high GI item ... peanut butter on bread, low fat cheese with a potato ... also if thy wanteth mashed potatoes, thou can mash them with chicken broth instead of butter and sprinkle fiber flakes (found in the cereal aisle) in them and/or wheat germ AND drink skim milk or also mix in ... mashed sweet potatoes are also good this way or made sweet by a tiny bit of artificial sweetner and whipped up with just water.

A POUND THIS WEEK WILL LEAVE HAG'S HIPS, WHILST NO CANDY WILL PASS HER LIPS!!! :wave:

Positivity - gosh, my life is full of it and I oft remind myself of that fact when the negatives are about to overwhelm. First and foremost is dh, second my little princesses - a source always of love and laughter, my dd - a Woman with a capital W, and ds, another source of jolly warmth (and their respective spouses both of whom add much to my life).

Today I enjoyed the positivity of the beautiful fall color and somedays it's just the blue of the sky. My mind has always been strong though not necessarily my body. I have a strong faith in God and humanity. I can look back and be pleased with many of my life choices. I'm not sure I could describe my "authentic" self but I think I like her.

My life is mostly comfortable, with good neighbors, longtime friends and new 3FC companions in the cause. While I do have health problems, I also have good doctors with whom I actually have (gasp!) the ability to communicate. My mother is living at 86, sharp minded and still working on her goals.

This sounds so Pollyanna-ish, I blush. I could list negatives too but I prefer to vanquish those and banish them to somewhere even far beyond the Isle of Poundlets, which at least have some pleasant aspects to them (fluffy, soft). I should sleep well tonight after recounting all those positives.

Expecting rain tomorrow but that's physical and much needed rain. Won't let any other kind rain on my parade.

Hello ladies. I weigh in again tomorrow and hope to have lost that last pound of my challenge but I have had a difficult week so I really am not sure. I do find that I am eating less junk when I do binge than usual. Of course if I am home there is very little here to get into trouble with. Well, wish me luck. Hope everyone else has a great think thin week.

It was wonderful to pop in this late at nite and see all the positivity on the Scary Halloween Challenge board! I have to look back to see my authentic self...and I know who she is, when she was and how to get her back...I liked her very much...in fact I loved her...she was/is/can be an amazing person...it just saddens me to think that she hasn't been around in a long time...but things are looking up and I really think she is on her way back....

Congrats to everyone who's made their Halloween challenge early!

YahOOOO for all the little witchies and hagolets who are doing so well on their No Candy Challenge!! I'm standing in the bleaches with my pennant shouting "GO TEAM GO!!!"

See everyone tomorrow! (or maybe I should say later today!lol)

Just a quickie to note that I managed yesterday without falling off the streak. Had some impulses (maybe because of lack of sleep, DH leaving on trip, end-of-month) but didn't yield and did prevail! :cb: :cp:

I feel like my authentic self is something that I hide in my fat suit, like I build a layer of insulation between the real me and the world. Not that this is something that I am always aware of, but on some level, this is very true. I have to work at those things that are integral to my authentic self (painting, non-tech, non-financial writing, relating to nature, communication, spirituality, socializing -- wow, the list just goes on!)

Sometimes I get so mired in coping mode that I lose my capacity for joy.

Well, this is a good note to start my day on. Part of what is necessary is making full use of my work time so that I don't end up with nothing left over for the above. As I've noted before, contrary to what I often feel, I do have enough time. I just don't have any time to waste.

Let's make this a good one!

POUNDS BEGONE! :wizard:

Good morning witchypoos, goblinettes and all trick-not-eaters. Congrats to all the candy NOT challengers! Pass some willpower this way, please.

This little piggy went to a party,
This little piggy didn't stay home,
This little piggy ate everything in site,
until it was all gone.
This little piggy's scale said, "Wee, wee ,wee, Waa, waa, waa....
BAD LITTLE PIGGY!!!"

This little hag partaketh in huge bon fire, and drank from the bottomless well of the land of Budweiser before boarding a creaking wagon full of ghouls and ghosties to the tavern on yonder hill. When the sun stained the night sky to morning pink I awoke with a head full of fluff, or possibly nails, and proceeded to eat my way out of the hangover! Not good on little hag at all!!!
Damage done, I spent yesterday repenting for my sins and excercising myself to death.

Happy thought for today: Didn't eat good for the weekend, BUT I had a Damn good time being bad!!!! (All good and no wicked makes Boatingmommy a very bored hag indeed!)

I hope all are doing well and on their way to declaring that the Halloween treat demons be vanquished!!! Be true to your authentic self!

Also I must express my fear that I am not as well read as I know some of you are. As you can see, my repetoire is reduced to nursey rhymes!! Boo, hoo! Oh well, that is also a part of my authentic self!

Boatingmommy;)

Drive-by postie to Glorious Goblinettes: Wonderful to see all the POSITIVELY POSITIVE SCARY HALLOWEEN VIBES!!! Woooooo-hoooo!! We're so on the right track, it's positively frightful!!!!! Hagolet will update the roster to include Punkin's Saturday loss in a sec!!! Then it's off to do the TO-DO list so's to use time sagely as Sage Babette/Arabella and Queen Bee Anagram hath adviseth!!!!!

Anagram, love it that thy matriachial figure is 86 and still working on goals!!! I wanna be her!!! :)

Jadcie: Thou be doing great, whatever thy weight!!!! Thou hast already made a successful challenge by noticing thy binges be healthier than before. That is thy true accomplishment and thy weigh in will go well.

Hotsplashie!!! :wave: Hagometer be shouting back at thee: "GO TEAM GO!!!"

We can't fail and we DO GO on!!!! The journey continueth!!! Hoorah!!! :cb:

"A :dance:, a :dance:, I'll lose a :dance: this week!!! I'm at my loser peak! I'll lose a :dance: this week!!!"

Bring on the Turkey Time Challenge, 'cause we're READY!!!!!

Boatingmommy, thou snucketh in when Hago was posting!!! :wave: Please thinketh naught o' thy day o' dietary wickedness as the crystal ball saith thou hath a BRILLIANT nutritional future ahead o' thee!!!

Dollar, forgot to say:

:chockiss: NOT, Day 5

hi all
just checking in been reading your posts. Very motivational im back into exercising and eating healthy...however i had to gain 3 pds back to come back to my work outs. However i took the 3 pds off again and im working out like gang busters. Maybe in some way its good that i gained the weight cause sometimes i think if i dont exercise and eat unhealthy i will not gain. Silly me...hehe but im ready for the thanksgiving challenge.

And since the halloween challenge i have lost 7lbs. So im very pleased...i know its not over so i have 2 more days...to keep the 7 pds off and then i can work on the next 7pds.

Hope every is having a fun halloween season. \

Boatingmommy it sounds like you had fun...thats the whole point of life...so i commend u for having a good time and getting back ont the work out circuit.

AMARANTHA i love your little icons you put in your post..they so cute..and you use them appropriately.

THanks for the posts..i enjoy reading them.

Hello all!

Enjoyed a :chockiss:-free day yesterday!!! While at Curves my mind was racing about "just one more splurge", visions of Burger King and Reese's peanut butter pumpkins danced through my mind as I worked out... Hey, I deserved it right??? Welllllll.... I got in my car after a good sweat-fest and decided NO, I WILL NOT UN-DO ALL THAT HARD WORK!!!!! :cb:

Amarantha - No, I'd like to wait until Halloween for my official weigh in. Who knows, maybe I'll beat my goal :smoking:

Anagram - Your post was beautiful! There's so many times that I can just sit and stew - when I should be counting my blessings, which are actually quite a few. But when you focus on the negative, the positive's so hard to see. I will always fight to see the positive side of everything...

Jadcie - Good luck to you!!! Happy weigh in!

Boatingmommy - Awww, come on! You gotta party now n' then! We're trying to get healthy, not apply for sainthood!! ;) I believe life should be 75% moderation and 25% enjoy life to the fullest, calories be damned!

Scooby - aaah, the Turkey Time challenge is coming on Thursday! I think you're doing awesome considering the stress you're under right now. Take care of you!

I have a thought about my authentic self. I think I met her the day I filed for divorce - and was I impressed with her! That was the first time in my adult life that I stood up for ME. Now 3 years later I believe I wouldn't know who I am as well as I do had it all not happened. There are times when she hides, but for the most part I grew wings and left that old self behind - the "do whatever it takes to please others and agree with everyone because it's easier than a fight" person is thankfully gone. She hasn't been missed yet.

Hi ho, hi ho....

Terri :lucky:

Ah, Terri - a good lesson for us all. Sometimes knowledge comes through hard times. But what a glorious outcome - to know your authentic self.

Boatingmomma, I agree with Scooby and Punkin that you deserved to have a good time. My "Plan" permits me several days "off" a week. I don't usually go too off any more but I do go off. I consider that one of my motivations. I work harder when I've given me a "party". Of course, I don't lose much weight ....

Day Four for me of NO CANDY..... Saved only about 250 calories so far but gained so much in "attagirls".

Yes, Amarantha - got a chuckle a couple of months ago when took Mater to doctor and she came out very pleased with self. She said "didn't you notice? I lost FOUR POUNDS." Scary thought - this weight battle never ceases.

[COLOR=orange][SIZE=1]Midday stress break!!! :yikes: Hago be going nuts ... people be driving her nuts and she's thinking o' binge day number two!!!! :eek:

Ok!!! No binge!!! Close, though!!! BTW, I also allow for days off and use an averaging system to track calories for the week. Howesomever, they are quite high from yesterday.

Punkin, thy will be done as to the list thingie!!! Hago keeps forgetting to do it anyway, so she must have anticipated your not wanting it changed!!! :cb:

Think I'm calling it a day and going for a walk!!!

Scoooby, Jadcie ... any that I missed since last post ... :wave:!!!!!!

Hago refuseth to go back and close codes on last post to get orange and small type!! That would be compulsive! :jig:

Oh, what a day...
My Mom just told us that her mamogram came back with a suspicious spot - again. We went through this 3 years ago and she was diagnosed with benign milk duct crystalizations that were removed. The Dr.'s don't seem concerned and she's going in for a needle biopsy in a couple weeks. She said it's an itsy bitsy spot on the x-ray, even smaller than the last ones, so even if it is the worst case, it's super early - but they think given her history it's another crystalization. Needless to say I'm stressed, not worried, but stressed. I'm making a point of staying strong for her because I know she's probably stressed even though the Dr.'s told her not to worry. Times like these make me thankful to have a Mom who's healthy, fit and takes care of herself. I'll keep you posted...

On a lighter note...
It's snowing!!!!!

Here I am, surfin' for Christmas presents online and I look outside and what do I see???? :dance: :dance: SNOW!!! :cb:

Another look at the positive - yes, driving in snow is a huge pain in the butt - BUT, it's so incredible to live somewhere with seasons and when Christmas/Yule does come, it will LOOK like winter outside!! :cb:

Going home to crochet and cuddle the kitties (hey, they're body temp is 103, they're good for keeping warm!)

:queen: Punkin o' Friday and blustery days too!
(aka Terri)

:queen: Punkin o' Blusteriness/Friday: Sorry to hear about the stressful situation with your mom but glad indications are it's another crystalization. Yes, thy be lucky to have a fit, healthy mom ... I know thou cherisheth her.

Snow? In October? Hmmm. Hago's brain begins to reverse thoughts of living in thy neck o' the big wood! :wave: Thou did say, "Snow," didst thou? Dunno. It be 79 degrees here and Hago hath the heater on in the hut! :shrug:

Mini splurge (less than a binge, more than OP) today ... job problems, procrastination, negativity, BAH!!! HAG REJECTETH NEGATIVITY!!!

Gotta go do beadwork. Making a Turkey Time Challenge ring with pumpkin colored seed beads with stripes of cranberry colored beads.

Nap followeth beads!

BEGONE :dance:!!! :dance: GOING, GOING, GONE!

It may not be snowing here but it sure is cold enough to just walking throught the parking lot at the market was bone chilling.
Ok so here it is day 5 no candy, trip to doctors for BP moitoring excellent, reducing medication by one of my pills recheck 1 month to decide if the other medication can be reduced, weigh in down 2.2, that puts me at 199.6 may not be the 198 I was looking for for this challenge but I'm very pleased to be under 200. I consider this a 3 for 3 day and I feel great. I want to thank everyone here because I think your are all responsible for my successes in the past few months you give such excellent support. So cheers and high fives to you all.

Me again this my seem insignificant but I must put it in the weight I gave in my last post was incorrect it should have been199.2 not 199.6 it is only .4 but every point counts.

Just a drive by posting to say I am having thoughts that I won't make my halloween challenge as I am coming down with that nasty cold that is going around up here and just don't have the energy nor the lung power to breathe to do any excercising..but I am glad that I actually stuck with this! and i DID lose!! So now it will be on to the Turkey Day Challenge...So until Halloween my fine witchies and hobgoblinettes...Splashie will be sitting in the bleachers with her electric blanket, her mug of Neocitran and box of Kleenex yelling "Go Teab Go!!"@@lolol

YAHOOOO!!!! Dollar, that is just fantastic! Congrats, congrats, congrats -- your work has paid off handsomely! :cb: :cp: :cb: You're an inspiration. Must remind self that I CAN get there too. Day 5 No Candy for me too.

:queen: Punkin, I so admire your enthusiasm for that white stuff. You're right, it is fantastically beautiful when seen in the right way. Last night we had snow here, just a few flakes, but snow. I remember how excited my sisters and I used to get at the first snow. We'd run outside and dance around in it. Come to think of it, that was pretty much our response to any extreme weather - get out there and experience it, be it a torrential downpour, windstorm, blizzard. Response: go out and dance around :cb: Yup, I want that self back!

Amarantha, I enjoyed your description of the bead ring. I need to get some projects like that that keep my hands busy creatively. I always feel so good doing something like that: sewing by hand, even mending, or doing something creative. I swear (once dreaded End o' month hath passed) that I will begin some such projects. Thank you for inspiring! :)

Scooby, WTG on the seven pounds! Awesome! I agree w. you about the need to enjoy life, too. So easy to forget about the joy available and just go what needs to be done. I declare self open to joy! :dance:

Anagram, those "attagirls" translate into future pound loss, because they strengthen our resolve. :jig: You're doing great!
Jadcie, hope WI was good to you! In any case, coming within a pound of your challenge is FANTASTIC! :cp:

Boatingmommy, mmmmm....bottomless budweiser well... I shall dive headfirst into the refreshing liquid! Sounds like you had a great time and should in no way regret it. I believe that we are supposed to celebrate, and that these celebrations are GOOD for us!

Splashie, you and me both! I am v. unlikely to make even my revised challenge. But I have had a good week, and have worked very well. We'll nail the next one!:yes:

Let's make this a fabulous day! Love to all.

Punkin, keep us informed about your mom. She's so lucky to have you to cheer her on! And you lucky girl, you have snow--I love snow! :D As long as I'm home and can cozy up--yum....

Dollar, Congrats on making your goal! You're an inspiration for sure. For what it's worth, I've dropped one more pound---not near my goal, but a total of 4 pounds down is fine by me. Looking forward to the Thanksgiving Challenge! Ever onward!

HotSplashes, I too have come down with some sort of mysterious crud. Dang! Feel all spongy and disconnected and congested. Are you lucky enough to be able to stay home and ride it out? I have to make an appearance today and then I'm coming home to watch trashy TV and just generally loll around like an old sock. The bright side of being sick--permission to do nothing!


;)

Hagometric Industries be so amazed at the wonderful participation here that she's confused (a normal state) about the roster, but is updating it anyhow to show results for Dollar (MADE GOAL) and the other results I see such as SEVEN POUNDS OFF O' THE SCOOOOOOBY PERSON ... IF I FORGOT TO CONGRATULATE ANYONE OR POST ANYONE'S SUCCESSES ON THE ROSTER, I HEREWITH APOLOGIZE AND IT BE ONLY BECAUSE I BE BRAINDEAD MOST O' THE TIME! I will await notification of results from everyone else (including those witchies who hath not posted in awhile, hopefully?) ... or if thou wisheth not to, that's cool, too ... she will updateth the roster ONE MORE TIME tomorrow and then eagerly await the Turkey Time Challenge that Punkin o' Friday hath pledged to post!!!! Gobble, gobble, gobble (NOT!!)

Hago hath had another Evil Eating Day yestere'een!!! (is that a word?) Feel back on track today and still intend to LOSE A POUND THIS WEEK!!!!! Two would be nice, too!! :jig: Bye-bye :dance: :dance:!!!

Eydie: Enjoy thy old sockie type day!!!! :jig:

Dollar!!!! Thou be in fine fettle!!!!! Congratulations on thy continuing success!!!!!!!!!! :cb: :cb: :jig:

Babette: Congrats on Day 5 o' :chockiss:-free life!!! Thou be a success also with thy continued dedication to the journey and thou WILL get to the destination because THY CLICK IS IN!!! My ring is halfway done, as I'm also still working on a bracelet that I started for the Halloween Challenge and that's not done ... I bead rather slowly ... just learning because I wrote a story about it for one of the papers I work for and got hooked on the process of it myself ... the bracelet is also striped (I'm big on stripes) ... four rows of black, two of white, one of orange, repeated ... wish I'd made it a plaid but it's too late!!! The rings I've done are made off-loom in double weave ... the bracelet is on the loom ... I've also strung some necklaces and am thinking along the lines of making my own beads but there's no time in my schedule for this!!! I write "beading" on my daily to-do list and force myself to relax enough to do it, if only for a few minutes. :jig:

Hope Hago did not offend any folkettes re snow comments ... snow be really very nice, really ... it's nice ... really ...

Amarantha would also like to report the result of a secret challenge she's been doing to get the Slimfast Demon outta her life (face it, Amarantha, it used to help you, but now it's a trigger food and hath too many calories and thou can have a sweet milk drink and a vitamin pill for a lot less and it's expensive). For 2.5 weeks, Amarantha hath had NO slimfast! She will continue this. Film at 11!

Ok, stop typing, Amarantha!!

:chockiss: NOT, Day 6!

The Scary Halloween Challenge Roster


Amarantha: Starting Weight (revised) 166.5; Now 165; Halloween (revised) 164.5; Result 165 (LOST 1.5 FROM REVISED START)

Anagram: Starting Weight 232.8; Now 232.2; Halloween (revised) In 220s

Babette: Starting Weight 213; Halloween (revised) 212

Boatingmommy: Starting Weight 166, Halloween 150s

Bobsgal: Starting Weight 258; Now 251; Halloween 250

Dollar: Starting Weight 209; Now 199.2; Halloween 198; Result 199.2 (LOST 8.8 POUNDS!!! WOW!)

Eydie: Starting Weight 157; Now 153; Halloween 148

Guinever: Starting Weight 164; Halloween In 150s

Hotsplashes: Starting Weight 180.5; Now 177; Halloween 175

Jadcie: Starting Weight 189; Now 181, Halloween 180

Kmabry: Starting Weight 163; Halloween 160

Punkinseed: Starting Weight (revised) 238.5; Halloween (revised) 237

Scoobysnacks: Starting Weight 193; Now 184, Halloween (revised) 180, Result: 184 (LOST NINE POUNDS!!! SUPER!)

SplittinMySeams: Starting Weight 237; Halloween 230


:wizard: :wizard: :wizard:

Scoooby!!! Thou hast a NINE pound loss by Hagodata's stats!!! :wave: Woo-hoo!

So many losses I don't know how Abacus Amarantha can keep up with them all - I do want to also report mine.

I am happy because today I weighed in at 229.4 - which is at least under my revised goal. Would I had made it further but we must accept that which is. I think that's a total loss of 3.4 for the challenge.

You haglets have been a sure inspiration. I wish you all well in the Turkey Challenge despite the stresses of health problems. And special congrats to Hag for kicking the Slimfast. You are are right on calories. I had oatmeal/milk this morning for less or about same. But it has become my Monday tradition and when I was out last week, I really missed it. So I'm perhaps becoming too addicted as well.

Brrr day, all! Except Hag, of course.

Good morning!

I was gonna go home and have a good cry about Mom then decided "why? She's not yet been diagnosed with anything bad yet and probably won't be". I chose to revel in the fact that there's NOTHING to be worried about and I choose to NOT be worried until I have a good reason, IF that time comes. I will not let a "might be" undermine MY health. By this morning the impending test was filed in the back of my mind instead of my every waking thought and I figured it's probably for the best to just be supportive but try not to loose myself in the stress of it, lest I make *myself* sick again - then what good would I be? :sp:

Scooby - 9 pounds????? :cb:

Babette - How funny! I do the same thing! Yesteday when it was snowing my Mom was making a fuss about me having to walk home in it - I love the feel of it and the smell (yes, it smells). This morning it was 8 degrees - it's damned cold, but there's something to be said about just standing there a second with your eyes closed and feeling the icy bite of it on your nose and cheeks (then running for the car and blasting the heater!).

Hotsplash - Take care!!! Drink lots of fluids, I'm sending virtual :chicken: soup your way!

Dollar - Yes, you count that .4!!! It all adds up! :yes:
I keep hearing that it's weather dipping down from Canada that's causing our cold spell - so, yea, I know how cold it is up there now!

Amarantha - Ooooh, your beads sound purdy! I have just taken my Mom's sewing machine hostage again so I can finish disassembling my wedding dress, dying it different colors and making pillows out of it! Then it's time to paint Christmas tree ornaments!
Congrats on kicking the Slimfast - I'm joining you as soon as mine is gone - I was *shocked* to find out how much sugar/carbs is in that stuff!

Time to get some work done... :p

Terri

Thanks for the reminder, Punkin -- I love the smell of snow! Also, the smell of rain on the way and fresh air in general. You're right, snow has a distinctive smell. I am going to work on renewing my spirit. Now with a grandson, these are great rituals to reinstigate!

HI Everyone

Today is ok. Ate a little to much pizza..dam pizza my total weekness especially when its free. OH well just will have to work out.

Thanks for your encouragement its really nice to have a place to turn to.
Pumpkinseed i understand how you feel. Its going to be ok however i do know how scary and overwhelming it all is. But you just have to pray and things will be ok. Wait til the diagnoses is in cause there has been alot of scares and it turns out to be nothing. I was hoping that was my mothers case...but it will be ok. Well thats how i keep looking at it that way. Its hard cause my mom is having her breast taken off on tuesday and i just dont want to think about it...im really scared for her. Things are going to be fine. Thats what i keep telling myself.

I cant believe the challenge is over. Well tomorrow i will be wonderwoman for halloween with a little change...a skirt and a big cape but i have always wanted to do it...and i am proud of my body...we work so hard for it. So i am going to do it even if i feel really stupid.

I have to say for all you people who had the power to stay away from candy kudos...cause i could never do that. I do love looking at candy though i walk through the supermarket looking at all the candy i cant have. Marketing for candy is so pretty...so shinny candy kisses..tootsie rolls wraped so cute. FIGHT THE URGE.

AMARANTA good job on kicking slim fast...is it addictive? I never really got into slim fast.

Everyone did great on challenge...most everyone lost weight! That is so awesome. We are the awesomest of ghosts, gobblins, and icecream cones.

IS anyone dressing up for halloween i want to hear what people are going as.

Scooby, I'm sorry about your Mom's upcoming surgery - I will be thinking of her. I think the psychological side of a mastectomy would be harder than anything. Let us know how she does ok? And you come here for support, any kind of support, any time - that's what we're here for! :yes:

As for Halloween... no, not dressing up. I work in my Mom's front room so no one would even see me. I do have my nails painted orange and black though! Saturday I'm going to a friend's house for Samhain dinner and celebration (pronounced sowen, it's the Pagan new year).
I'm kinda bummed, we don't even get trick-or-treaters around here, too rural. When I was in CA I used to decorate the house but I haven't since I moved. It would take 20 minutes to hit 3 houses around here and I'm sure kids would totally loose interest! Most people take their kids to town for goodies.

They do make the packages of chocolate yummies way too attractive don't they? Well, it'll be over soon... I do adore turkey, but it's not something I'll binge on!

Terri

I too love the smell of snow or impeding snow. I can go outside and say it is going to snow and everyone thinks Im crazy but I can smell it in the air. It is still very cold here but Im getting use to it. I don't have the extra insallation to keep me warm this year but that sure is ok by me.
Sure hope the moms are both ok, I know how important they are to use all and I miss mine everyday. Sure wish I had this group of fine people when I lost her 2 years ago, you all give such support. With your strength and love your mothers will be fine.
One more day without candy crossing these lips. Im certainly looking forward to the posting for the next challenge. Have a good evening all and since you all or most seem to like snow i will continue to send you our fine artic air we have more then we need.

Scooby, I'll be thinking about you and your mom. I know it's really scary--stay strong for her. In July I had a cancer scare myself so I truly know how excruciating it can be. And you'll be styling in your WonderWoman costume. Me--I'll be my usual Witch! [Only this year I have some fantastic high-heeled boots--very domanatrix!:lol: :lol: :lol: ]

Almost forgot, Scooby--one of my favorite things to do is food-shop and I also look at all the candies I can't have! Packaging these days is amazing. My current favorite is the Harry Potter chocolate frogs---very clever!

Scooby and Punkin, I'll say a prayer for your Moms. Just be there for them as I'm sure they're even more upset than you are. I had my first such scare at 32 and a few more since but actually hearing the words must be chilling.

A little sleety type snow piled on grass around here tonight but mostly we just had rain all day.

Dh and I went to see My Big Fat Greek Wedding finally. enjoyed it, quite a few laughs, no violence, etc. No plot but light and entertaining.

Chatty bunch we. The thread ran to 23 pages in what, seven weeks or so?

I'm really craving one of those little pumpkin candies tonight but so far holding strong.

Hopeful thought to Scooby, Punkin and their moms...
Hope all the sick little witchies and hagoletts are getting better..I made it to work and suffered thru it...someone's gotta feed the dogs and the horses!lol I am dreading tomorrow's weigh in....I would like to have lost at least 1/2 a lb...then I won't feel like too big of a failure...But the Turkey Day challenge is Nearing!!! YAYYYYY Onwards and downwards to a new goal!!

Sad to report that I'm registering no loss for the challenge. :( I'm at the same weight that I was before I went off the deep end a while ago, which is 4 up from my reported challenge start weight. I probably did gain more and then lose some of it. Can't help feeling bummed about it, but must just try harder. Consider this the first day of the next challenge.

Going to reinstigate the every morning WI, because I don't ever need another surprise gain. I have actually been doing not too badly, following the rules. I did have a big plate of whole grain pasta for dinner last night though. I was very thirsty afterwards and I think I probably have some weight on related to that. We'll see, though, huh.

Love to all the mothers and daughters - everyone.

Well today is the day the big candy test. The boxes are still sealed but I will have to open them to hand them out, perhaps I should put a clothes pin on my nose so I can't smell the chocolate. As I told my kids if we don't get as many kids as I have candy the last kid at the door will be glad they came because they will get what is left over, we are not keeping any. Also by next weekend if they still have candy in their bags it gets dumped.
Well got to run.

IT'S HERE!!! Yahooooooo! "'Tis the season to be scary, fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la!!" This was a very successful challenge for all who saw it through, INCLUDING those of us who had a minor gain, so there should be NO :( ... it's on to the Turkey Time Challenge and WE ARE READY!!! Extra special Halloween kudos go to those who lost and/or met their goal and as in kid's track-and-field days, everyone gets a black-'n-orange ribbon for participation and trying hard. IF YOU DON'T PLAY THE GAME, KIDS, YOU CAN'T EVER WIN!!!

Hagometric will come back later and post a final roster, etc.

:chockiss: NOT! Day 7

Stay AWAY from that Halloween candy witchiepoos!!! :nono: :nono: :nono:

*yawn* I had a bad night, which trickled into a bad morning... my oldest cat, Luna (she's just over 1 year old) last night went berzerk. Attacking the mini-blinds, the chairs and I thought the way she was literally bouncing off the windows that she was going to break one. I damned near gave her 1/2 a Benadryl wrapped in lunch meat to knock her out! At 1:30am I finally put the litter box in my bathroom and locked all 3 cats in my bathroom & bedroom with me. 3am they woke me up fighting and at 4:45am I gave up and got up since my alarm goes off at 5am. Very short night...

That being said, I completely forgot to weigh in this morning so I guess I will go with my last known weight - which puts me right at my "revised goal". I'm happy and not so happy since I keep thinking about where I *should* be by now (I know, I know, quit beating myself up).

It's -1 here this morning with a wind chill of -11. Thanks for the weather Canada! ;) It's supposed to warm up to the 30's in a couple days - you northern neighbors can keep this weather!

Happy Halloween everyone and blessed Samhain! (to those of a Pagan persuasion).

Be back later in a better mood...

Terri

Witchies!!! Goblins!!! Ghosties!!! Hagometric be ready to post the last roster as she's looking to blow this popstand (old saying, older than me, not to mean that I'm in the generation that said that!!!) Hag be minorly confused as to how to finish the roster but feeleth that a roster was a good idea and so is just posting the LOSERS (read "WINNERS") of this challenge and if she hath skipped any, please let her know and she'll repost later. As for the maintainers or those who just stuck with us giving it the good college try and their support, thanks be and thou be orange-black-ribbon winners, every one!!!

Here's the way the LOSER (WINNER) results look to Hago:

Amarantha: 1.5 down from revised challenge start weight

Anagram: .6 from challenge weight (but in math terms, that's over half and so constitutes a pound!!) Good work!!

Bobsgal: Seven pounds down!!! Woooo-hoooo!!!

Dollar: 8.8 pounds down!!! Great work!!!!

Eydie: Four pounds down!!! Superb!!!

Hotsplashes: 3.5 pounds down!!!! Excellent!!!

Jadcie: Eight pounds down!!! Way to go!!!

Punkinseed: 1.5 from revised challenge goal!!!! Great job!!!!

Scoooobydoooobydooooooooo! Nine pounds down!!!!

That's 43.9 :dance: :dance: dance: down, by Hagometric's reckoning, which could be wrong as she doth not excel in math!!!

Barring any further posties with result by thou witchipoos, Hago is outta here and awaiteth the Turkey Time Challenge!!! Gobble on (not, no gobbling :nono:)!!!

Dear Hag - hope I'm not causing big problems for you. I apparently got so carried away during yesterday's post that I forgot to include my weigh in. I came in at 229.4 which would be a challenge loss for me of 3.4. This was not all in the last week, of course, but I've been up and down with water weight and managed to pull it together for this week's weigh in.

What a totally delightful number of fluffy pounds have been retired!

Day 5 (I think) of no candy for me. I am sorely tempted to have one little pumpkin tonight but am settling for half a pumpkin bagel for lunch instead. MMMM!

See y'all on the turkey challenge, I hope.

Punkin - don't tell me your kitties didn't know it was Halloween!

Nope, that's day six of no candy. The lack of sugar is affecting my math.

Hi
Well today is ok. I have to be honest and gained a couple pounds so im up to 186 but im working like mad to get it off. Im just freaked cause in the past year i only lost not gained back...so im worried i cant take it off again. Stupid i know..just frustrated cause im working like a mad women. I noticed it 3 days ago....oy..oh well i dont want to get to obsessed or upset cause i feel healthy and everyone tells me how i look like i lost more weight. So im not going to weigh myself for a week and see what happens. I weigh myself way to much. If it doesnt come off in a week i will try going to weight watchers.
:?:
So im going home to see my folks tomorrow. Im really happy about htat however i always have a tendancy to go back to my old eating habbits. I will try so hard though. It will be good being with my folks and sister is coming in.

Pumpkinseed im sorry your cats were crazy last nite. I do understand mine woke me up at 2 but yours sounds like a crazy wild party last nite.

dollar i dont know if would dump there candy in 2 weeks might encourage them to eat it all in one sitting. Good job on waiting to open the candy bags..you have a strong will power.
Hot splashes, anagram, and eydie thanks for the wishes and prayers to all of u it means alot to me. My parents loved my big fat greek wedding.

babett i think its great that you got back to where you were. I think the fact that you didnt gain is something to be proud of. Its really hard.
Amarantha...thanks so much for keeping track of us. Do you work for 3fatchicks.com cause you are truely a real motivator and have a wicked sense of humor. Thanks for staying on top of everyones weight....truely awesome. I look forward to the thanksgiving one.

I DID IT!!!!! Reached 180 yesterday. Thats a total of 60 pounds lost. Received good news yesterday as well. I have been approved by my insurance for abdominoplasty (tummy tuck surgery) and insurance will pay as I have had a large weight loss and two previous abdominal surgeries. I have this flap that just hangs with no muscle tone. I could exercise till the cows come home and never help that area. So I will be entering the hospital the 27 of November and having surgery later that day. Wish me luck. Hope everyone has a good day. Congratulations if you made yor challenge and for those who didn't, at least you did not gain. There is always something to be said for that. I could have been up soooooo many pounds in that length of time. Good luck, Keep plugging. Remember, If it's to be, It's up to ME!!!!

Way to go everyone!!!!! That is an AWESOME amount of weight when you total it up!

Jadcie - You will HAVE to keep me posted on your abdominoplasty! I have promised myself that once I'm at where I want to stay, and have maintained it awhile (6 mos?) that I very well may treat myself to a flat stomach....

Scooby - Enjoy your visit with your folks. I read something yesterday about the stress of visiting our parents and reverting back to our old ways. It said to just keep reminding yourself that you don't live there anymore, you don't get your mail there, so why should you eat like you still are a kid with your parents - I know, easier said than done...
I too weigh myself too much - I think since you're working out you should get one of those scales that shows body fat (mine's a Tanita) because you could be loosing inches and not weight!

Anagram - Good point. It was just the one kitty though - the other two were cowering under the bed wondering what possessed Luna! I personally wonder if it was just the cold. My Mom's horses get all spry when the temps dip - I don't know if it affects cats like that too.

Amarantha - thank you for doing such a superb job on our Scary Halloween challenge thread and keeping up the "scores" - I will gladly take over for the next challenge if you'd like!

Which reminds me - the Turkey Time Challenge thread has been started! 4 weeks from today is T-Day (turkey day) so let's pat ourselves on the back, and set another goal so we can continue!

Onward and downward!

Terri

Nope, Anagram, thou didst post it but Hago missed it!!! :wave: Ok, here's the revised results, adding more in for Anagram and Jadcie (who dropped another pound when Hago wasn't looking! Hago refuseth to take note o' any ADDED pounds from here on out, as thy be only WATER anyhoo and thee will loseth them on the Turkey Challenge anyhow!!!
WTG, Jadcie and good luck on thy surgery).

P.S. Amarantha hath taken up residence on the Turkey Time Challenge. She is dressed as a Pilgrim! :wave: She doesn't work for 3FC, Scooby but wouldn't mind if they were hiring!!! :jig:

The total now looks like 47.7 pounds down!!! Awesome, indeed. See thee all on the turkey challenge!!! :wave:

Amarantha: 1.5 down from revised challenge start weight

Anagram: 3.5 down!!!! Yahoo!!!

Bobsgal: Seven pounds down!!! Woooo-hoooo!!!

Dollar: 8.8 pounds down!!! Great work!!!!

Eydie: Four pounds down!!! Superb!!!

Hotsplashes: 3.5 pounds down!!!! Excellent!!!

Jadcie: Nine pounds down!!! Way to go!!!

Punkinseed: 1.5 from revised challenge goal!!!! Great job!!!!

Scoooobydoooobydooooooooo! Nine pounds down!!!!

Sorry for the late post folks...I didn't lose any this week..didn't gain any...so my final weigh in was 177...I guess I should just be happy that I lost! Ok Turkey day challenge now...do we still post here or what? Congrats everyone!!!

Hotsplashie!!! Good job maintaining your loss!!!! You're doing great!

Punkinseed hath put up the Great Turkey Time Challenge thread, so everyone can post there now and we can let this one die out ... at 24 pages, it be time.

BYE-BYE, HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE!!! POST NOT HERE BUT GO TO TURKEY TIME CHALLENGE POSTED BY PUNKIN!!! BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!!! :wave: